The Uchiha Curse
by ClareTurner
Summary: Sasuke is crazy now...but the fact is that he is actually cursed. Could love truly be the awnser to breaking the curse? A theory i have from the current manga so spoilers! SASUSAKU HINANARU
1. Chapter 1

The Uchiha Curse

Disclaimer: Ok…I know I haven't been writing other things lately…but… This was inspired by previous manga chapters and my frustration with sasuke…yet I still took in the evidence…so I now have this story…as a theory…I do not own Naruto or its characters. Also…I'm a huge Itachi fan…so don't mind the zombie-itachi fansquealing in the authors notes….enjoy! Oh…and please don't flame…or I'll send my Itachi-sama zombie out to get you flamed back…and that won't be pretty…

Chapter 1: Explaination

Sakura Haruno was finally on her break. She had been up more than 24 hours helping heal people because of this war. Since Naruto finally came back and actually got rid of all the white Zetsus her chakra had diminished so badly that Tsunade and Naruto BOTH had to force her to take a nap. However Sakura was almost going to scream when she awoke…The dead Itachi Uchiha was sitting across from where she was laying.

Before she screamed he quickly put a hand over her mouth.

"I'm not here to hurt you…I'm sorry if you got that impression…please don't scream…I need your help…" Itachi withdrew his hand and Sakura was now glaring at the man who made Sasuke leave because of his crimes.

"I won't scream but I'm going to kick your ass…" she said going to punch him however he only disappeared and reappeared with ravens.

"I'm not in my own body…I'm a clone. This is the only way I figured I could talk to anyone without being controlled by Kabato Yakushi. I'm not here to fight I need your help. But first I need to know…what was your relationship with my brother?" he asked in a calm, cool (and sexy) voice.

"He was…why should I tell you! You killed…"  
>"I know…but before I go and explain why I killed them I need to know if I made a right decision in wishing to tell you…" he said sitting down. When Sakura looked at him he didn't look like the man she saw all those months ago. He seemed sadder and his Sharingan was not activated. Sakura decided to keep her guard up…but trust this man enough to explain how much he hurt her by hurting Sasuke.<p>

"Fine…He…he was my teammate…but…not only that… I was in love with him…He never shared this feeling with me but that's how I felt and that's how I still feel…That's why I hate you almost as much as he does! You're the one who drove him out of the village and now he's against us all!"

"I see…" he said sadly and looking depressed. "You're right to hate me… But… I wish to make up for my mistakes…Sakura-chan was it?"

"Yes that's my name…but how can you make up for what you've done?"

"Before I explain…you need to know the truth…" Itachi said seriously looking into the Cherry Blossom's emerald eyes.

"T…truth?" Sakura repeated the word confused…but then remembered Naruto and Kakashi saying they knew the truth about something when they met Sasuke last. She wondered what they meant but they never told her. Was this what this "truth" was?

"Yes…I'm afraid I must tell you the entire story…" Itachi began. "I know the story is that I killed my family in cold blood…but to tell you the truth…that is not the case. My father was the leader of our clan and was angry that we were put away from the rest of the village. This reason was actually because the Village elders thought an Uchiha was responsible for the Nine-tails to attack Konoha. They were right…to a point… However none of the members who lived in Konoha were actually responsible. Madara Uchiha was responsible for the attack but since they feared our Sharingan they put us away from the rest of the village and did not allow us to interfere with government affairs.

"However my father and the rest were able to control the Police force. But to my father it was still not enough. He soon started getting the rest of the clan together and wanted to create a coup d'état"

"But…what does that have to do with anything?"

"My father knew I was strong when I graduated at seven and gained my Sharingan at eight years old…Soon I became Chunin and the elders decided to make me part of ANBU… "

"I already know all of this…why are you telling me this…"

"I'm explaining this because this is what leads to the truth that you need to know if you truly love my brother like you say you do…"

Sakura looked at him in surprise as she let him go on.

"After I became ANBU my father wanted me to become a spy for them. He wanted me to help them do this coup…However I was not so keen on this idea even though I was afraid to tell my father… I was only five years old when the third war was going on. I witnessed all the killing and sadness…and I never wanted Sasuke to be in the middle of a war. This Coup my father was planning would send Konoha into a civil war…and would spiral into the fourth world war that we have right now when the other nations saw us as weak…All I wanted was peace…and they used me…I told the elders and the Third what they wanted with me but all they did was turn me into a double agent to spy on the Uchihas for them…

"Soon the only option they could think of to take care of the problem…was…to give me a top secret mission…a top secret mission that would ruin my life… to kill and destroy every single member of the Uchiha clan…" Itachi looked down sadly and looked away from the green eyed Kounoichi. "They told me…that they would send someone else…and they would…kill everyone…including myself and my brother... The Third Hokage tried and tried to stop this, but the only way I could save my brother in the end was to do the task myself. I wanted him to be safe…I wanted him to think that our clan was still be worthy…still be… just like any other clan… I didn't want him to hate this village."

Sakura was now staring at this old dead man with tears streaming from her eyes. "Why…why couldn't you just…tell him?" she whimpered.

Itachi looked at her with guilty eyes. "It's not like I didn't want to… If I did I was worried that the elders would do something to him…I couldn't let him get hurt. I hid the truth so that he could be protected…that's why I stayed silent… that was the only way to protect the one I loved and cared about the most."

After a small silence Naruto's voice came from the outside of the tent.

"Sakura-chan…you need to stay here…I'm going out into the battlefield…"

"Um…alright Naruto…be careful!" Sakura yelled trying not to show she was crying.

"I better go…otherwise I'll be seen ." Itachi said getting up.

"Alright…" Sakura said looking down.

Itachi then smiled and poked her in the forehead. "your very annoyingly cute you know…"

Sakura looked up surprised rubbing her forehead. "annoyingly…cute?"

Itachi smiled. "Yes…just like Sasuke was when he was little… I would have loved to meet you as my sister in law or something…"

All Sakura could do was blush at that.

"I used to poke him like that too by the way…" he added. "I'm sorry you had to find this out like this…but I wanted you to know…you may be the only one who can save my brother… I believe that this curse can be broken…but since it's a curse of hate it must only be broken with hate." with those last words he turned into a flock of ravens and disappeared.

Sakura wiped off her tears and then went outside…to find out that Naruto was out to fight Sasuke. She didn't care what they did…She needed to follow him. Itachi was counting on her to break this curse he had…she couldn't let him down.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: How to break the curse

Sakura ran and ran to catch up to Sasuke and Naruto's fight. If Itachi thought that she'd be able to save Sasuke from this curse then she needed to get to them before they killed each other. She finally made it to the clearing where the two were already using their major attacks on each other. Sasuke seemed insane the way he was fighting. Not the way he used to act at all.

"Sakura…" Kakashi-sensei said noticing her. "What are you doing here!"

Sakura glared at him. "Why didn't you tell me…"

"What? Tell you about what?"

"ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO SASUKE'S BROTHER!" she yelled at him angrily. "You know I loved him, and still you didn't tell me! You made me think there would be no shot at getting the old Sasuke back…"

Kakashi looked stunned that she now knew this. "There isn't…"  
>"YES THERE IS!" Sakura yelled. "Sasuke just found out that the man whom the thought to be the bad guy all these years had always protected and loved him! He's confused and doesn't know WHO to trust anymore!"<p>

Kakashi stared at Sakura. She didn't care what he thought anymore. She wanted to save Sasuke… Suddenly her eyes went back to the action. Naruto was down and Sasuke was about to make a move that could definitely kill him. She ran before Kakashi would be able to stop her and grabbed Sasuke from behind like she did all those years ago at the Chunin exams.

"Please…stop Sasuke-kun…" she said holding tight but not looking in his eyes. She knew he could give her pain through that sharingan of his so she said nothing.

"GET THE HELL OFF MY YOU ANNOYING BITCH!" Sasuke yelled at her trying to get her off with no avail. She was determined.

"NO! I'M NOT GETTING OFF UNTIL YOU LISTEN TO WHAT I HAVE TO SAY!" she said. After he responded with the usual frustrated "Hn", she went on. "I didn't know about what happened with Itachi before when I attacked you, but now I do! I understand now that you feel that you can't trust anyone…even those who actually care about you! Do you really think Itachi would want you to be like this? What do you think he feels about you now? Do you think he's proud? Do you think your mother's proud? What are you going to do once everyone you once loved or cared about is dead! What are you going to do when the ones who wanted to help you are dead! You're the last of the Uchiha clan Sasuke-kun…if you kill all those who care about you the clan's name will still be seen as bad blood and you will die the last of your clan! I don't care if you hate me. I don't care if you kill me after this speech… I want to try. That's all I want to do. I am still in love with you and I don't care what you do to me anymore. You are the only one I wish to spend the rest of my life with and if I can't be with you I'd rather die here or live a long life alone! But this isn't about me being selfish anymore. Believe it or not you have people who still love and care about you! Itachi may have been your elder brother by blood…but Naruto still thinks of you as a brother…and I think of him as mine now. Itachi and the rest of your family would want you to move on Sasuke-kun! They'd want you to rebuild the clan to be peaceful like all the others! They'd want the Uchiha name to become clean again so that when the name is mentioned they wouldn't make ill of it! Think about this Sasuke-kun… What will become of you once everyone else is dead?" she finished with tears streaming down her cheeks. She was holding onto his waist tight and hiding her face so he would not see her. She could not see Sasuke's reaction…but Naruto could…

"Sasuke…?" Naruto said while staring at his advasary.

Kakashi tried to stop Sakura when she lept out there, but a hand pulled him back. He turned around to find the dead Itachi Uchiha. He readied himself to fight him but Itachi just looked at him with sad eyes.

"She told me you knew…yet…you act as if I am still the villain…" Itachi said to him.

Kakashi relaxed a little but was still on guard just in case Kabuto made him pounce. "So… the story Madara told us…was true?"

Itachi looked down. "I'm afraid so…and I'm sorry about putting you under genjutsu before… It's not like I could show remorse. You were one of my best partners on missions back when we were in ANBU."

Kakashi smiled a little…well that's what one would guess… "Thank you…Now that I know what you have done for the village I can accept that as a compliment."

"Yes…I guess so…" Itachi said with a small smile. He then turned his attention to the Cherry Blosseum with his little brother and gave an even more sad look.

"How did you tell her? And why are you here? I figure you're actions are forced by Kabuto but your mind is still yours."

"You guessed right…. However to talk to Sakura I was able to make a clone… Kabuto was actually not able to controle my clones so I sent one to her. I remembered she seemed so angry with me…I wanted to know just how much she cared for my brother…I wanted to know if my theory about the curse that has overtaken my brother would work. My real body is here now…Kabuto wants me to take the Kyuubi but won't allow me to go out because of Sasuke. "

"Curse?"

"Yes… it's a curse that only a member who had gained the Mangekyo Sharingan can obtain. I was lucky enough to fight it off and not let the curse get to me. You see… one does not have to physically kill their best friend or someone closest to them to gain the Mangekyo… They can lose someone and watch them die. That must be why you were able to develop the Mangekyo as well I suppose. Technically…I didn't die by Sasuke's hand physically…the desease that I carried all those years did… and despite what everyone believes… I was not the one to kill my best friend Shisui Uchiha…"  
>"But…if you didn't…who did?"<p>

Itachi frowned remembering. "Danzou…" he said in a grim tone. "He blackmailed me. He said that he'd have me arrested for murder of Shisui if I did not follow the orders that he was planning to make which forced me into destroying the clan. The two elders always followed what he said no matter what much like sheep… The third begged for a peaceful way but he just couldn't get through… "

"I see…" Kakashi said looking sad now. "I can't imagine what they must have put you through…"

"I wish I could go back in time…I would change it all if I knew that Danzou and Akatsuki would use me like they did… I could have stayed with Sasuke… I could have possibly lived longer… but since I can't change the past…I want to change the future at least…" he said looking at his brother.

"How…can you change this?" Kakashi asked confused.

"I believe that girl may be the only one able to break the curse…"

"How do you figure that?"

"Only love can break the curse…that's what I believe…Not just any love however…it must be…mutual… Sasuke must love her in return for this to work…" Itachi said frowning. It was a fifty-fifty chance he loved her as well. He remembered when Sasuke was at the academy and it was one of his rare days off so he picked him up.

_ "Hello Sasuke, how was classes?" Itachi asked his excited little brother._

_ "It was great! We worked on a team on a project and…" Sasuke then blushed in mid-sentence._

_ Itachi grinned. "What? What is it Sasuke?"_

_ "Well…" he said shyly. "There was this…really pretty girl in our group…with pink hair…" he said blushing._

_ "Awww my little brother has a crush!" Itachi said laughing and ruffling his hair._

_ "HEY! NII-SAN!" Sasuke whinned._

_ Itachi just laughed and then smiled down at his little brother. "Sasuke…I want to tell you something… Our clan isn't just known for our strength you know… Father told me when I had my first crush that the Uchiha clan have a tendency to just 'know' who they were meant to be with once they meet them. My first crush didn't seem to make the cut for me, but for father…the moment he met mother he knew she was the one for him." Itachi finished with a smile at his little brother._

_ Sasuke blushed more at this. "So…that pink-haired girl might be the girl I'm destined to marry someday?"_

_ "It's possible…if that's the case…I suggest you learn her name…" Itachi said ruffling his hair again and walking on._

Itachi knew it was a long shot that this girl was the one he was meant to be with …and whom he had a crush on all those years ago… feeling toward a person can change and he was hopeing beyond hope that this girl would be able to break this curse. Even if he was to be used by Kabuto after Sasuke gets back to normal and goes against Akatsuki… He wanted to at least do this…This was his last wish.

"But remember…if Kabuto starts to use my body…you must stop me Kakashi…" Itachi said now turning to Kakashi.

"I promise. Itachi-san." Kakashi replied seriously. The two watched the scene in front of them… and hoped for the best.

AN: Ok, here's the second chapter…but since this story is a trilogy…there will only be three chapters…much like my Christmas Carol fic…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Saying Goodbye

Warning: this is a SERIOUS tearjerker…. If you're a huge Itachi-fan that is…

There was silence on the battlefield while Sakura held onto Sasuke for dear life. Naruto stared at his former…no still best friend and former crush turned good friend. Sasuke wasn't trying to hurt Sakura but Naruto realized…that his face…was no longer angry. He cautiously walked forward to see if he was truly seeing what he thought he was seeing.

Sakura closed her eyes waiting for whatever response Sasuke was going to have. Suddenly Sasuke started shaking and fell to the ground on his hands and knees.

"Sas…Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked in a hoarse voice.

Naruto walked closer and realized his chakra had changed…it wasn't as dark as it was before…and he no longer had an ill-will like the other adversaries. His eyes widened… had Sakura actually gotten through to Sasuke?

"Sa…Sak…Sakura…" Sasuke croaked out. Sakura went to face the young Uchiha to find him…crying.

"Sas…Sasuke-kun…" Sakura said in surprise as she hugged onto him tightly.

To her surprised Sasuke returned the hug slowly, but then pulled her in tightly as if he didn't want to let her go.

"I'm… I'm…so…sorry…" he whimpered into her ear. "for…everything…I…I should have went home…right away…"

Sakura cried more at this and held him close. That was all she wanted to know. That he wanted to come home.

Naruto walked toward the two…but did nothing. Sakura and he needed this moment. He knew it.

Itachi and Kakashi stared at the two with wide, surprised eyes. Soon Itachi started crying (zombies can cry in this story because it's an anime.) That was when Naruto saw him. He stared right at Itachi with a sad expression. He was still in Kyuubi mode in case he was attacked by Kabuto controlling him, but he walked over.

"You really were the good guy weren't you?" he asked the elder dead Uchiha.

"Yes…" Itachi said sadly. "I'm sorry for making you all think I was not"

"If you are…then you need to see Sasuke…He deserves it. He needs to properly let go of you…He needs to know you'll always be with him…like the rest of your family." Naruto demanded.

"You forget Naruto… my mind may not be controlled but my body is not… it's dangerous for you to be over here as it is… I cannot walk myself over to him…" Itachi said sadly.

"You can't go over to him…fine…" Naruto said then walked over to Sasuke and Sakura.

"Sasuke…you need to see someone…" he said roughly grabbing Sasuke and dragging him to Itachi.

"Hey…what…Naruto…what are you…" Sasuke said in protest but never letting go of Sakura's hand. He stopped protesting immediately the moment he saw Itachi. He stared at him with more tears.

"Nii…san?" Sasuke said staring at him.

"Sasuke…" Itachi said looking at him sadly.

Before anyone said anything else Sasuke went and ran to his brother and caught him in an embrace. "Nii-san…I'm so sorry for not listening to you… I should have… "

"Sasuke…if anyone should be sorry it's me…I failed you. I couldn't protect you from Madara…I should have told you the truth but I never did. I should have found some other way to save you but I was a coward and allowed Danzou to order me around like a puppet. I don't deserve to be forgiven after failing everyone… I don't deserve any of this… I'm a failure as an elder brother…and the only time I can help you is after my death." Itachi said embracing his little brother.

"But…Nii-san…I don't blame you…I blame Danzou…I killed him for you and…"

"Konoha is not to blame Sasuke…" Itachi interrupted. He didn't like him blaming the village they grew up in.

"He's right Sasuke…" Naruto said. "Madara was the one who attacked the village… if he didn't do that the elders wouldn't have suspected the Uchiha clan."

Sasuke then realized everything Naruto had just said was true. Madara was the one who wanted war. He was the one who wanted to take over the Shinobe world.

"I forgive you nii-san… I forgive you. I don't want you to suffer thinking you failed me. I'm the one who failed you. I never listen and I'm head-strong. If I stayed in the village maybe Danzou would have found a way to attack me and you might have found out… He did while I was with Orocimaru… I don't want you to suffer. I want you to go to mom and dad and wait for me for a few years…"

Itachi smiled. "I don't know if I will Sasuke… I've done so much evil…"

"So had my father Itachi…" Kakashi interceded. "I know that he is in the better place waiting for me as well. You deserve it too."

Sasuke hugged tighter to Itachi as if he didn't want to let go of him. He wanted his Nii-san back and was afraid to let go. Itachi smirked and poked him in the forehead. While Naruto, Kakashi, and Sakura tried to suppress a giggle Sasuke rubbed his head.

"Ow… just like old times…" he said with a little pout.

Itachi smiled. "yes…like old times…"

"W…wait a minute… " Kakashi said suddenly. "Itachi-san…you said…that the curse will only be broken by love…"

Sasuke then got alert and started blushing a little.

"Love… you mean Sakura loving him broke it? But…she said it so many times before…"

"It had to be sencere…and mutual…" Itachi explained.

Sakura and Naruto's eyes widened at the last part of what Itachi said.

"Mutual…?" Sakura said finally. "How…How can it be mutual… he's never…I mean… he's always… Sasuke-kun hates me…"

"I don't hate you…" Sasuke said embarrassed and looking the other way. Itachi grinned. _Yep…this is the girl…_ he thought to himself.

Sakura stared at Sasuke's back. "what…what do you…mean…?"

"It's…it's like…like he said… the love…is…the…the same… for me…" Sasuke refused to turn around because he was so embarrassed and still holding onto his elder brother.

"I guess you found the one immediately like father…" Itachi whispered to Sasuke. "She is the girl isn't she?"

Sasuke looked up at his elder brother with sad but embarrassed eyes. "Yes… she…she is…"

Sakura was trying to fathom what he said. Sasuke loved her? How can this be? He always ignored her. He always seemed to hate her.

"Sasuke-kun…"Sakura said trying to get a little closer but scared to. Sasuke glanced at her but looked away again. He didn't want to face her. He didn't want to explain why he treated her so badly in order to protect her.

"I'm…I'm sorry ok….I…I was mean so that I could protect you…I was scared to get close to people because I didn't want to lose them again… When my task of revenge was over I was planning on coming home…and telling you…I…I love you Sakura… I don't want anyone else…" he said with more tears.

Sakura was now speechless. All she could do was cry and stare at Sasuke. He was the love of her life and she finally found out…he loves her as well.

Itachi smiled at his little brother as he said this. He was finally growing up. Suddenly a strange new sensation. He then started glowing.

"N…Nii-san…what's going on?" Sasuke asked confused.

"I…I think…you freed my soul from Kabuto…" Itachi said with a surprised look.

"Sai told me something like that happened when he met his brother…he gave him that sketch book and his soul was released…this must be one of the ways we can free the souls…" Kakashi said amaized.

"Nii-san…does this mean…you have to leave?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes…I think that if what Kakashi says is right…then that means that if something that the sould needed to be finished or that it wants…happens…then that means…that their soul is freed."

"Then…why didn't this happen when I forgave you or you forgave me? Or when the curse broke?" Sasuke asked confused.

"Because…" he said with a smile. "What I truly wanted…was to make sure that you would move on and rebuild our clan from scratch…make it a noble clan once again…and peaceful… Knowing how much you love each other lets me know that this will come to pass."

Sasuke stared at his brother with now happy tears. He knew why he was alive now. He was alive to help win the war against Madara and rebuild the Uchiha clan from scratch.

"I'm going to name my first son after you Nii-san." Sasuke said sadly as he watched his elder brother fade away.

Itachi let out some more tears as he said his final words; "Thank you I love you Sasuke…"with this he vanished. His soul was now freed and there was one less zombie for Akatsuki to use against them in the war.

There was a small silence as they all tried to take in what had happened…until Kakashi and Naruto went flying to the other side of the field. Sakura had punched them.

"WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU TELL ME ABOUT ITACHI! ALL THIS COULD HAVE ENDED EARLIER IF I WAS TOLD EVERYTHING YOU IDIOTS! SINCE WHEN CAN'T YOU BOTH TRUST ME!" she screamed at them.

Sasuke was staring at this display in shock…but also terror… he knew Tsunade had trained her…she didn't know she trained her… with the super strength… He knew he would never cross her again. Instead…he wanted to try and calm her down before she killed Naruto and Kakashi.

"Sakura…" he said in a timid voice…which was obviously rare for Sasuke…

Sakura turned around slowly with tears still streaming from her eyes. This made Sasuke feel even worse and was afraid he was next.

"Sasuke-kun…" was all she could get out. She started crying more and more and now knelt to the ground. Sasuke came over to her and held her tight.

"I'm sorry…I…I should have told you… I… I love you since… I met you…please…forgive me…" he said now kissing her forehead.

Sakura sniffed and looked up to Sasuke she couldn't take it anymore. She now knew he loved her in return. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. All her emotions were coming out in this one long kiss. All her love, all her anger, all her guilt…everything.

Sasuke held her in return and kissed her like he should have done so many years ago before he left Konoha. When the kiss finally ended Sasuke looked into Sakura's emerald eyes and asked her the one question he's waited to ask since he knew he wanted…no HAD to rebuild the clan…

"Sakura…will you marry me?" Sasuke asked with a slight blush.

"Sasuke…do you even have to ask that?" Sakura said with a smile as he poked his forehead like Itachi did.

"Hey!"

Sakura smirked. "I guess I learned a lot from the man who would have been my brother-in-law…"

About two years later the fourth Shinobe war was over. Naruto and Sasuke both defeated Madara together and since Naruto proved himself time and again…Tsunade decided to retire and give the role of the _true _sixth Hokage to Naruto. (After the truth of Itachi came out the village refused to see Danzo as the sixth.)

Sasuke wasted no time rebuilding the clan. In fact the night that he professed his love he conceived his first son with Sakura…they obviously married the moment they could. Over the two years they had two children…Itachi and Mikoto. Not to mention one more on the way in Sakura's womb again. Naruto joked around many times about Sasuke and Sakura being like rabbits, but everytime earned some kind of punishment.

After the war was over, Naruto decided to finally take Hinata out on a date…Ramen obviously… For about a year they properly go to know each other and, after asking permission from Hinata's father (which was a hard task in itself), the sixth Hokage was now engaged to the heiress to the Hyuuga clan.

Peace was present throughout the lands once again and the curse of the Uchiha Clan had vanished. Sasuke would see to it that no member of the Uchiha clan must give into seeking revenge in order for the curse to never arise again.

As for the memory of Itachi… Naruto made sure that he had a special memorial made just for Itachi. The engraving says:

_Itachi Uchiha_

_The youngest to graduate the academy, to become Chunin and to become ANBU captain. He was ordered to destroy his entire clan but saved his little brother. He played a role of the villain only to become known as a pure hero. He died not only because of his disease…but for the pride of Konohagure, the next generation of the renowned Uchiha Clan, and most of all for the little brother whom he loved more than everything else._


End file.
